This Issue...
WHY I AM NO LONGER A PENTECOSTAL #1
William Davis
There were no miracles, no power, no gifts, no
healings, nothing but the theatrical antics and
delusions of men. What was claimed for the great
power of God was nothing more than musical hype and
psychologically induced emotionalism.
I would like to begin by giving some background information
concerning my roots in Pentecostalism. I believe it is important
for anyone reading this to understand that I am not someone new to
the Pentecostal or Charismatic movement. My roots go down deep into
Pentecostalism. I was a third generation Pentecostal. My maternal
grandparents were old time Pentecostals and my
grandfather was a Pentecostal preacher of the old style. As a
matter of fact, I was a Pentecostal before there was anyone known
as a charismatic.
       
Actually, in the old days most people did not call
themselves Pentecostals, they called themselves Holiness or Full
Gospel. I never remember my Dad calling himself a Pentecostal. He
always said he was Holiness. This is one reason Pentecostals in the
old days were branded as holy rollers. The point I am
trying to make is that I am no stranger to Pentecostalism, its
doctrines, its worship and its experiences. Neither am I a stranger
to charismatic doctrines, worship and experiences.
       
I was in Pentecostalism over 50 years of my life. As a boy
I can remember the old camp-meeting days when we worshiped under a
tin roof and sawdust on a dirt floor. My familys roots were
originally in the Congregational Holiness denomination a
group that splintered off from the Pentecostal Holiness. I grew up
in Jacksonville, Florida, a fairly large city, where you could
always find a variety of Pentecostal churches to attend. While
attending the Arlington Church of God at the age of twenty, I
believed I was being called into the ministry and so I
started preaching. The following year I was married. In time, my
wife and I eventually ended up in the Assemblies of God where I was
a licensed preacher for 27 years.
       
There are those who might speculate as to what caused me to
change my mind about being a Pentecostal. Did someone talk me out
of it? Did I read someones book? What happened? I would say it
has been a journey. Even though I was exposed to and had learned
many incorrect methods and views of Bible interpretation
(hermeneutics), I did know, believe and understand that the Bible
was/is the word of God and we needed to read it and follow it. For
some time, I had recognized certain problems and inconsistencies
within the Pentecostal church. These were difficult to overcome at
first. But as time went by, I would discover bits and pieces of
truth. The problem was, I still couldnt put it all together.
I couldnt get the full picture.
       
During my 50 plus years as a Pentecostal, I had been
involved in countless Pentecostal and charismatic influences. It
would be safe to say that I have been in hundreds of various
meetings or gatherings in one form or another. I attended several
meetings involving the Prophetic Movement. In one
conference we were taught how to prophesy to people. They call it
being activated. My wife and I made two trips to Toronto
for Catch The Fire conferences. This is where the famed
Toronto Blessing took place.
       
We spent five months attending the Brownsville
Revival. When I say five months, I mean we didnt miss a
service unless we were having a service at our church. We were
there night after night, often times not leaving until midnight or
later. During that period I also served on the Brownsville prayer
team. A short time after this five month period at Brownsville, we
too started holding similar services at our church. These meetings
lasted for a whole year. Various charismatic speakers came and held
meetings, praying and prophesying over people night after night,
week in and week out. We initially started these meetings with a
woman who claimed to have a gift of healing as well as being a
preacher, teacher and prophetess. I found out later that she
actually believed herself to be an apostle. Our services with her
lasted around three months. A variety of speakers came in, each
claiming to have their own unique gift or
calling. When we did not have any special speakers, my
wife and I conducted the meetings ourselves. During this time a lot
of people were prayed for, prophesied over, claimed to see visions
and angels, laid in the floor, spoke in tongues, shook,
vibrated, laughed, cried, wailed, made animal sounds and of course
claimed to be healed. However, after a year of this our church was
no better off than before. After all the claims of healings,
salvations and miracles, no one was any different. After the scores
of people who attended and our building being packed night after
night, our attendance was less and our finances depleted. By this
time, my wife and I felt depleted ourselves. We had put our hearts
and souls into these efforts because we believed it to be God-
approved; and who doesnt want to experience the same power and
miracles we read about in the New Testament? I cant tell you
how many hours we spent in prayer or the number of meals we fasted,
all because we wanted nothing more than God. But after all of this,
it wasnt God that we saw, it was man. From Toronto, to
Brownsville, to Cottage Hill, and many more places I could name,
there were no miracles, no power, no gifts, no healings, nothing
but the theatrical antics and delusions of men. What was claimed
for the great power of God was nothing more than musical hype and
psychologically induced emotionalism.
       
In time, as I reflected over the past two years and then
over all of the years I had been in Pentecostalism, I slowly began
to realize I was in error. I began to see how deceived I was. Then
one night something happened that caused me to completely change
course. I kept a Bible by my bedside and would usually read a few
verses before going to sleep. As I was reading, I came to John 3:5
where it says, Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto
thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot
enter into the kingdom of God. The phrase, born of
water stood out to me. In the past I had always read over
these words, mentally dismissing them on the basis of what I had
heard or been taught. The teaching usually went something like,
the word water here doesnt actually mean
water. For some reason water always meant something
other than the obvious. That evening I finally decided to accept
what I read in the Bible like it was written. I accepted the simple
fact that Jesus said what He meant and meant what He said. I
realized there was nothing in the context that suggested the word
water was anything but water. There was no reason to believe Jesus
meant anything other than what He said. It was also obvious that to
be born of water referred to water baptism. I found this could be
confirmed by other New Testament references such as Mark 16:16,
Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16, Galatians 3:27, Romans 6:3-6,17-18 and 1
Peter 3:21. From that point on I knew I had to find a people who
taught the Bible just like it is written without any manmade
religious additions.
       
A person has to be a realist when it comes to the Bible. As
long as people continue to make excuses for the flaws and
inaccuracies of their respective denomination, they will never come
to the knowledge of the truth. We have to be honest as students of
Scripture. If not, the religious discrepancies we see will vanish
in the haze of feeble excuses and unsound explanations by false
teachers.
       
Sometime later, after coming to the Lords church, I
discovered a saying that had been coined generations ago: The
Bible only, makes Christians only. Theres one thing for
certain, if you follow exactly what the New Testament says without
the input of any outside religious source, you will end up being
simply a Christian nothing more and nothing less. You cannot
strictly follow the teaching of the New Testament and end up being
in a denomination because they all are creations of men. You can
only end up a Christian.
       
Please understand that what I have to say is not meant as an
attack on people. There are many sincere, misguided souls in the
Pentecostal and charismatic ranks. I know because I was one of
them. However, I will attack the lies and heresies of men. False
doctrine(s) should always be exposed. We must be willing to
earnestly contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to
the saints (Jude 3).
PENTECOSTALISM TEACHES FALSE DOCTRINE
       
Through the years I saw how Scripture was often misunderstood,
taken out of context and misapplied. As a Pentecostal, I noticed
how we would greatly emphasize some passages and completely ignore
other passages. Some verses seemed to hold great authority while
others were insignificant.
PENTECOSTALISM TEACHES FALSE DOCTRINE CONCERNING
THE GIFT OF TONGUES
       
Pentecostals fail to accept that New Testament tongue speaking
was an understandable language. Acts 2 describes what happened on
the day of Pentecost. And they were all filled with the Holy
Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave
them utterance (Acts 2:4).
       
There is nothing in Acts 2 that would indicate they spoke an
unintelligible language or gibberish. The word tongues in
this passage is glossa...the tongue; by implication a language. The
word utterance means to enunciate plainly, that is,
declare: say, speak forth.
       
The continuing context reveals that understandable languages
were being spoken. Acts 2:6-11, Now when this was noised
abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because
that every man heard them speak in his own language.
7And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to
another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
8And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we
were born? 9Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the
dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus,
and Asia, 10Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the
parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and
proselytes, 11Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak
in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
       
The word language in verse 6 and the word
tongue in verse 8 is the Greek word dialektos which means
a discourse, that is, a dialect; a language or tongue. We can see
from the Greek as well as the context that these were known, human,
languages.
       
I must say in all fairness that now-a-days due to education,
many Pentecostals have accepted the fact that tongues in
Acts chapter two means a known or understandable language. However,
every other place in the New Testament where tongues is mentioned
they still hold to the idea that it is a non-understandable
language, something mysterious. How Pentecostals or charismatics
arrive at this conclusion is based on a misunderstanding of 1
Corinthians 14. They misunderstand Pauls meaning of
unknown tongue. They believe the meaning of unknown
tongue is something different from the tongues spoken in Acts
chapter two. They believe it to be something mysterious and
non-understandable. They fail to recognize that the word
unknown is not in the Greek text and the word
tongue is the same Greek word as in Acts chapter two.
       
It must be remembered that the miraculous gift of speaking
in tongues was that a man could speak in a language he had never
studied or learned. Nonetheless, it was still an intelligible
language because those in the audience who spoke that language
could readily understand what he said. What is amazing to me is the
fact that Pentecostal and charismatic missionaries, without
exception, all either attend language school or work through an
interpreter when going to a foreign country while all the time
claiming to have the New Testament gift of tongues!
       
When we sum it up, it is easily concluded that
Pentecostalism makes three mistakes concerning speaking in tongues:
       
1) Pentecostalism ignores the law of first
mention. This simply means that once something is initially
established to be a certain thing or way, there is no reason to
believe it changes and becomes something different unless the
context reveals it to be different.
       
2) Pentecostalism fails to understand the meaning of
unknown tongue in 1 Corinthians 14. It forces an
interpretation on the text that is inconsistent with Acts chapter
two and the entire New Testament. The word tongue in 1
Corinthians 14 is the same Greek word (glossa) as in Acts 2:4.
       
3) Pentecostalism fails to understand the context of 1
Corinthians 14. Paul is not praising the Corinthians for their use
of tongues, he is correcting their use of tongues. He is basically
saying, Youve got it all wrong. Tongues are not for
personal use or personal satisfaction. When no one was present
to interpret for others to understand, they were to remain silent
(1 Cor. 14:27-28).
PENTECOSTALISM IGNORES THE PRINCIPLE OF
ORDER IN A WORSHIP SERVICE
       
Growing up in the Pentecostal Church, I saw that chaos and
confusion were eagerly encouraged in worship. This disorder was not
only encouraged, but was the gauge by which a worship service was
judged. Everyone was encouraged to speak in tongues all at
the same time! This was and is considered to be a spiritual apex in
a worship service; a sign of spirituality.
       
However, 1 Corinthians 12 clarifies the fact that not
everyone would have the gift of tongues. When Paul begins to
enumerate the gifts, he starts by saying, to one is
given... (v.8) in order to indicate that not everyone
would have that respective gift. Nor would everyone in the church
have a spiritual gift at all. Paul went on to make this clear in
the closing verses of chapter 12 where he asked rhetorical
questions. Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with
tongues? do all interpret (1 Cor. 12:30)? The obvious answer
to these questions is in the negative.
       
Every Christian during New Testament times did not have the
gift of tongues. However, when tongues/languages were spoken, there
was to be a proper order to their functioning. If any man
speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at
the most by three, and that by course; and let one
interpret. 28But if there be no interpreter, let him
keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to
God (1 Cor. 14:27-28). They were to take turns when they
spoke, with no more than two or three taking their turn. There must
also be someone to interpret so everyone in the audience could
understand what was spoken.
       
The idea in Pentecostal worship was that the more people
there were speaking in tongues at the same time, the more spiritual
your church was the greater the moving of the Spirit. But this
concept is never taught in the New Testament. Notice what Paul
says; For God is not the author of confusion, but of
peace, as in all churches of the saints (1 Cor. 14:33). And
then in 1 Cor. 14:40, Let all things be done decently and
in order.
               
1st of 3 parts
               
612 Edith Lane
               
Pensacola, FL 32534
Table of Contents
A NEW BOOK ON TEXTUAL CRITICISM
After 35 years in the making, a new book, The Preservation Of
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Table of Contents
Editorial...
THE BIBLE AND ALCOHOL
Garland M. Robinson
The word of God speaks clearly, plainly and with forcefulness
against the evils of drinking alcohol. The truth concerning the
evils of beverage alcohol is presented so clearly and repeated so
often that it cannot be ignored or escaped. Read and study these
passages carefully. Most of them have been compiled and printed by
others before me.
FIFTY-NINE BIBLE REFERENCES ON THE EVILS OF DRINKING
- Genesis 9:20-27. Notice the tragic consequences of
Noahs drunkenness.
- Genesis 19:30-38. Drinking resulted in Lots
depravity and immorality against his own daughters.
- Leviticus 10:8-11. The Lord commanded Aaron and his sons
not to drink either wine or strong drink while rendering
service for God.
- Numbers 6:3. A Nazarite vow forbid drinking any form of
wine and strong drink.
- Deuteronomy 21:20. Drinking is one of the attributes of
a stubborn, rebellious, and disobedient son.
- Judges 13:4,7,14. Samsons mother was expressly
commanded by the angel of the Lord not to drink wine or
strong drink.
- I Samuel 25:36-38. Nabal, an evil man, became very
drunken and was smitten by the Lord that he died.
- II Samuel 11:13. By the use of strong drink, David made
Uriah drunk, attempting to hide his adultery with
Bathsheba.
- II Samuel 13:28-29. Amnon, on a drinking spree, was
murdered by the servants of his brother Absalom.
- I Kings 16:8-10. While Elah, King of Israel, was
drinking himself drunk, one of his captains who had
conspired against him, murdered him.
- I Kings 20:13-21. While Ben-hadad, King of Syria, and
thirty-two other kings were drinking themselves drunk in
their pavilions, a small band of Israelites came upon
the Syrians and slaughtered them with a great
slaughter.
- Esther 1:5-22. After a weeks feasting and drinking,
King Ahasuerus drunkenly tried to subject Vashti, his
queen, to the beastly gaze of the inebriated people and
princes.
- Proverbs 20:1. No wise person will allow himself to be
deceived by wine which is a mocker or by strong drink
which is raging.
- Proverbs 21:17; 23:21. Drinking and drunkenness leads to
poverty.
- Proverbs 23:29-30. Strong drink produces sorrow, woe,
contentions, babbling, wounds without cause and redness
of eyes.
- Provers 23:31. An admonition to refrain from even
looking upon wine.
- Proverbs 23:32. At the last, alcohol bites like a
serpent and stings like an adder.
- Probers 23:33. It fills mens minds with impure and
perverse thoughts.
- Proverbs 23:34. It brings danger, accidents, and
insecurity.
- Proverbs 23:35. Insensibility follows drinking,
rendering man senseless to bodily harm.
- Proverbs 23:35. Alcohol is addictive, causing the
drinker to seek it again and again.
- Proverbs 31:4-5. Government officials are warned to not
drink lest they forget the law and pervert
judgment.
- Proverbs 31:6-7. Drinking causes loss of sober and
rational thinking.
- Ecclesiastes 2:3. The writer of Ecclesiastes tried
strong drink, but in the end admitted that it was vanity
(cf. 2:11; 12:8).
- Ecclesiastes 10:17. The nation is blessed whose leaders
eat for strength and refrain from drunkenness.
- Isaiah 5:11-12. Woe is pronounced on those who give
themselves to strong drink. It causes disregard for the
Lord.
- Isaiah 5:22. Woe is pronounced upon drunkards.
- Isaiah 5:22-23. Alcohol perverts righteous judgment,
taking bribes to justify the wicked and to condemn the
just.
- Isaiah 5:22-24. Alcohol causes one to cast away and
despise the law of the Lord.
- Isaiah 22:13. Drinking goes along with carnal
living.
- Isaiah 28:1. A woe is pronounced upon the drunkards of
Ephraim.
- Isaiah 28:3. The drunkards of Ephraim would be trodden
down and destroyed.
- Isaiah 28:7-8. Prophets and priests become incapable of
spiritual leadership because of drinking.
- Isaiah 56:12. Drinking accompanies foolish optimism and
the sinners vain hope that his sins will not find
him out.
- Jeremiah 35:5-8,14,19. The Rechabites, who steadfastly
held to total abstinence, were assured of Gods
continued blessings.
- Daniel 1:5,8,16; 10:3. Daniel, who refused to drink the
kings wine, was especially blessed by the
Lord.
- Daniel 5:1-2. A tragic example of a king who drank and
who led his people to do likewise.
- Daniel 5:3-4. Drinking leads to profaning sacred
things.
- Daniel 5:25-28. Moral degradation, of which drinking is
a symptom, is ultimately punished by God.
- Hosea 4:10-11. Strong drink and immorality go hand in
hand.
- Hosea 7:5. The king, by his drinking, was not only made
sick, but became scornful.
- Joel 3:3. Young women were sold for the price of a
drink.
- Amos 4:1. Those who lived in luxury in the mountain of
Samaria oppress the poor and crush the needy while
calling for their drink.
- Amos 6:3-6. The evil, idle rich who were given to
imbibing wine were not concerned about the affliction of
the poor.
- Habakkuk 2:5. Arrogance is inflamed by drink.
- Habakkuk 2:15. It is wrong to lead another to
drink.
- Habakkuk 2:16. Drink leads to shame and
humiliation.
- Matthew 24:48-51. Drinking is not consistent with
alertness.
- Luke 1:15. The greatness of John the Baptist is linked
with his total abstinence.
- Luke 12:45. Jesus the Christ warns against
drunkenness.
- Luke 21:34. Drinking prevents one from being prepared
for the judgment day.
- Romans 13:13. All are admonished to walk honestly, not
in rioting and drunkenness.
- Romans 14:21. Christians are admonished not to drink
lest a brother be caused to stumble.
- I Corinthians 5:11. Christians are forbidden to keep
company with those who are drunkards.
- I Corinthians 6:10. No drunkard shall inherit the
kingdom of God. Therefore, the preaching of the Gospel
must include preaching the damnation of alcohol.
- I Corinthians 11:21. The Lords Supper is no time
for drunkenness.
- Galatians 5:21. Drunkenness prevents one from inheriting
the kingdom of God.
- Ephesians 5:18. Christians are commanded not to be drunk
with wine, nor even start the process of becoming
drunk.
- I Timothy 3:3,8. Elders and deacons must not be given to
wine.
       
Although there are many instances of drinking in the Bible,
it must be remembered they are never set forth and upheld as
examples for us to follow. The whole weight of Bible authority is
against the manifold evils of consuming alcohol as a beverage.
Today, Christian duty makes a tremendous appeal for brethren
everywhere to join hearts and hands in an effective program of
total abstinence from beverage alcohol our fiercest
foe. This terrible scourge upon the family, nation and world,
can be driven from many homes and communities when Gods people
set themselves to the task to preach and teach Gods word on
the subject. When one repents, it will not be found in their house
nor upon their lips!
       
Many say alcoholism is a disease. I beg your pardon.
Its not a disease, its a sin. The Bible calls it
drunkenness!
       
Peter L. Reamn is credited as the author of the following
note. If alcoholism is a disease, its the only disease that:
- Is contracted by an act of the will,
- Requires a license to propagate it,
- Is bottled and sold,
- Promotes crime,
- Is habit-forming,
- Is advanced by advertising,
- Is given as a Christmas present.
               
               
Table of Contents
IS SPRINKLING REALLY BAPTISM?
Rod Rutherford
No sincere Bible believer doubts the importance of baptism. The
word baptize in its various forms occurs nearly 100 times
in the New Testament. Jesus himself said, He that believeth
and is baptized shall be saved (Mark 16:16). He commanded
his disciples: Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Ghost (Matt. 28:19).
       
That baptism is required by the Lord cannot be denied. But
how should one be baptized? Standard dictionaries commonly define
baptism as a religious rite or act performed either by
sprinkling or pouring, or by immersion. It must be
remembered, however, that dictionaries define words according to
their meaning in current usage. To find their meaning in the Bible,
we must go to the Bible itself for the correct definition. Thus, we
shall learn how God wants penitent believers to be baptized.
       
The New Testament was originally written in the common Greek
of the first century A.D. To learn the meaning of baptism in the
New Testament, let us first look at it in the original language of
the New Testament. The widely used Expository Dictionary of New
Testament Words by W. E. Vine says that baptism is from the
Greek baptisma, which consists of the processes of
immersion, submersion and emergence. Thayers Greek-
English Lexicon of the New Testament defined baptidzo,
the verb form of baptisma, as follows: 1. to dip repeatedly;
to immerge; to submerge; 2. to cleanse by dipping or submerging; 3.
to overwhelm. In the New Testament then, baptism was an
immersion in water and an emergence from the water. Since
sprinkling does not involve either immersion or emergence from the
water, sprinkling is not baptism in the New Testament usage of the
word.
       
However, one does not have to be a student of the Greek
language to learn how he must be baptized. One can clearly see from
our standard English translations that baptism is not sprinkling,
but is an immersion or burial in water. In Romans, the inspired
writer shows that baptism derives its significance from the death,
burial and resurrection of Jesus. He says: Know ye not,
that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized
into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into
death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory
of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of
Life (Rom. 6:3-4).
       
In baptism, one is buried in the water just as Christ was
buried in the tomb. In baptism, one is raised up from the water
just as Christ was raised up from the dead. One arises from the
water of baptism with his sins forgiven. He is a new creature and
has experienced the new birth (read John 3:3-5). Only immersion can
show this. Having a few drops of water sprinkled on ones head
can never portray the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.
       
The New Testament clearly teaches that baptism is an
immersion or burial in water. Sprinkling is neither an immersion or
a burial. Therefore, sprinkling is not the baptism commanded by our
Lord. From this we can only conclude that those who have been
sprinkled are yet unbaptized. They must arise, and be
baptized, and wash away their sins, calling on the name of the
Lord (Acts 22:16).
                PO Box 268
               
Powell, TN 37849
Table of Contents
WHAT IS MY ATTITUDE TOWARD WORSHIP?
Lloyd Gale
Did you hear and understand the question for our consideration?
       
It appears that the attitude of some who wear the name
Christian is that worship places an undue burden on them. Therefore
they find any excuse as a reason to forsake the assemblies.
       
These same excuses however do not prevent them from going to
work, school or to some social function or activity. When it comes
to worship, there are two words that come to mind: attitude and
priority.
       
Priority is defined as: Listing items in order of their
importance. God teaches where our priorities begin.
But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness;
and all these things shall be added unto you (Matt. 6:33).
The things added are all of the other important matters in life.
The things people too often put before the Lord and His
kingdom.
       
Attitude is defined as: State of mind, behavior, or
conduct regarding some matter, as indicating opinion or
purpose. It is well described in the song we sing, Is
Your Heart Right With God. Attitude proceeds actions. Bad
attitudes result in bad behavior and produce bad results.
       
Good attitudes produce good conduct. David expressed his
attitude toward the assembly in his day. I was glad when
they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord
(Psa. 122:1).
       
Do I look forward to attending the worship services and to
the association with fellow Christians or do I see it as a chore?
If we are not glad to attend the assemblies and worship God, is it
because he has failed to bless us? Are we truly grateful for the
blessing we have received and enjoy from the Lord? Do we realize
that every good and perfect gift has come down from above (James
1:17)? Must we loose our blessings before we appreciate them?
       
Do we understand and mean it when we sing Count your
many blessings, name them one by one, Count your many blessings see
what the God hath done.
WHAT IS GODS ATTITUDE TOWARD OUR WORSHIP?
       
Did you ever stop and consider this question? Do we know what
God requires of mankind by way of worship?
       
When Jesus met the woman in Samaria at Jacobs well, He
spoke these words. Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when
ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship
the Father. Ye worship ye know not what; we know what we worship;
for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is,
where the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in
truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit;
and they that worship him must worship in spirit and in
truth (John 4:21-24).
       
The hour has come when our worship is a must. Christians
must worship God. Christians must worship God in
spirit. Since we learn that God is a Spiritual Being and
since we also have a spirit within our physical bodies, it is not
the flesh that worships God but the spirit within our bodies. As
living beings however, our spirits are carried about by our bodies
and God has instructed us to assemble at specified times to
worship.
       
It is equally important that our worship be in
truth. This means we may not invent our own items of
worship, but must employ what the Lord has authorized. This is
reason enough not to add instruments of music to worshiping God.
They simply are not authorized. Cain learned this lesson when he
substituted his item of worship for what God authorized. It was
rejected and God called it sin (Gen. 4:7).
       
According to Jesus, who Himself worshiped the Father, the
Father not only deserves to be worshiped but he demands it to be
so. Jesus said the Father seeks those who will worship Him in
spirit and in truth (cf. John 4:23).
       
It is in the nature of man to worship. Throughout the ages
mankind has worshiped someone or something, tragically in most
cases, to false gods and according to human creeds (Matt. 15:9).
       
What a blessing it is to come to know the true and living
God, to know how this world came into existence, how life began,
and to come to realize that we have an immortal, living soul. It is
a blessing to know that death is not the end of our existence but
that there is a place of eternal love, peace and joy where there is
no sickness, pain or sorrow. Praise the Lord!
TRUE WORSHIP GIVES US PERSPECTIVE
       
Perspective: The relative importance of facts or matters
from any special point of view.
       
What is important in life? What will endure? There are many
things that we rightfully seek after in life. We seek good health,
a good education, earning a living, marriage, having a family, a
proper amount of recreation. But when we learn that which He has
revealed to us through His Holy word, we realize that there is more
to our existence than these material pursuits. Jesus asked the
question: For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the
whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in
exchange for his soul (Matt. 16:26)?
       
Abraham is called the father of the faithful
because of his total trust in God. God promised Abraham and his
seed a land that flowed with milk and honey. But the fact is,
Abraham was seeking a city which hath foundations whose builder and
maker is God (Heb. 11:10). Even though Abraham was promised great
material prosperity, he was looking for an eternal city whose maker
and builder was God. Thats perspective!
GOD REWARDS TRUE WORSHIPERS
       
The ones who were privileged to hear the first Gospel sermon
ever preached were described as devout men. They had come to
Jerusalem to worship the true and living God. Even though they were
mistaken concerning who Christ was and made a grievous mistake in
seeking his crucifixion, their motive had been to come to Jerusalem
to worship God. The result was that many heard the Gospel and had
their sins forgiven; and subsequently, they carried the Gospel back
to their home countries (Acts 2). One has to believe that the God
they came to worship had mercy on them and granted them the right
to hear the saving Gospel. The same was true of Saul of Tarsus who
became the great apostle Paul.
       
The Ethiopian eunuch had been to Jerusalem to worship
God and was returning home riding in a chariot through a deserted
area. He was searching the scriptures with a desire to understand
them when God sent Philip to teach him the Gospel. It saved his
soul.
       
Cornelius, the first gentile convert, was a man who
prayed to God always (Acts 10:2) as he was instructed to do under
the law given to the Patriarchs. An angel of God told him to send
for Peter who would tell him what to do.
       
In Acts 16 we read about a business woman named Lydia
who worshiped God and was the first convert on European soil (Acts
16:14).
       
As we read these and other Biblical accounts of those who
desired to worship God, we find that some traveled great distances
to do so, some at great personal expense, some at loss of
friendship. But God rewarded all those who placed the Lord as their
first priority and who faithfully worshiped God.
       
Luke records the faithfulness of Mary and Joseph as
they traveled to Jerusalem on a regular and faithful basis. The
scripture records that it was their custom to do so. In
other words, their decision had been made long ago to be faithful
to God in every service. It did not require discussion.
       
May each one of us examine what our attitude and our
priority is toward worship. When we give liberally of our self we
are told that God loves a cheerful giver. God has always rewarded
those who are faithful. He has done so much more for us than we
will ever do for Him.
       
What is YOUR attitude toward worship? Assembling for worship
is not an option for Christians, it is a command. But it is a
command which we should not find to be grievous, but to be a great
joy and privilege (Heb. 10:25).
       
We should be reminded that God knows our attitude.
                1186 Martha Leeville Rd.
               
Lebanon, TN 37090
Table of Contents
JESUS CARES ABOUT OUR WORSHIP
Charles Box
While Jesus lived on earth he was concerned about worshipping
under the Law of Moses. He would go up to Jerusalem to
keep the passover (John 2:13). Jesus had the custom or
habit of worship (Luke 4:16). What a wonderful custom.
       
Jesus Cares About The Kind And Quality Of Our Worship.
He insists that our worship be kept pure. But in vain
they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of
men (Matt. 15:9). By failing either in kind or quality,
our worship becomes vain. God is a spirit: and they that
worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth (John
4:24).
       
Jesus Cares That Our Worship Must Be After The Bible
Order. In New Testament times the people of God assembled on
the first day of the week for the purpose of worshipping God (Acts
20:7). True worship consists of what is commonly referred to as
five items or acts of worship. They are: preaching or
teaching Gods word (Acts 2:42), prayer (1 Thess.
5:17-18), singing (Col. 3:16), partaking of the
Lords Supper (Acts 20:7), and giving (1 Cor.
16:2). Each one must be done in spirit and in truth for God to
accept them.
       
Jesus Cares Whether Or Not You Are Present For Worship.
Christians are to come together on the first day of the week to
worship God. We are exhorted to attend all the assemblies (Heb.
10:24-31). If a Christian willfully misses assemblies, he has
sinned! Do not be among the fearful and unbelieving, the negligent,
those that know God and refuse to obey the gospel, because these
are not going to make heaven (Rev. 21:8; Heb 2:1-3; 2 Thess.
1:8-9). Jesus has never forsaken an assembly. Every Christian
should want to meet with him (Matt. 18:20). One is made stronger
spiritually and is fortified against falling away from Christ by
faithful attendance at the assemblies. Why not become a Christian
and continue steadfastly in the apostles doctrine,
fellowship, breaking of bread and prayers (Acts 2:42).
               
               
Table of Contents
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Table of Contents
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